Vision

Vision

It is important to establish goals and a vision for any program to be successful (Hughes, 2006).  In the sense of the definition of leadership, a leader knows to plan for the future not for the present.  The vision should help the group to make choices about what it should do and what it should not do, they type of people to hire and retain, and what rules to operate by (Hughes, 2006). 

Almost like a strategic planning model, this type of module helps the leader to escape typical operational thinking and ultimately manage their organization strategically (Wallace, 2006).  Positive and proactive leadership helps to create a vision that all members are aware of.  The leader with the support of the employee helps to create a vision or direction that the team is willing to work towards.

Any change process can be conceptualized as consisting of three stages: a stage of recognizing that change is required, a stage of moving from the present to the changed state, and a stage of sustaining and stabilizing the changes made.  No change will occur unless the system is ready to change, and no change will last unless the system has ensured the change survives.

Vision seems to help establish the footprints for motivation.  Motivation usually increases if the employee perceives a positive relationship between effort and performance.  It is mentioned that motivation can usually be increased with valued rewards (Hersey, 1993).  Victor Vroom states that there are three relationships that could increase motivated behavior.  Those three relationships are; positive relations between relationship and performance, a positive relationship between good performance and rewards, and the delivery or achievement of valued outcomes or rewards.           

Without a vision statement an organization will have concerns operating effectively.  When a vision statement exists, the organization still should provide education and training on what the vision means to the employees and the organization as a whole.  Creating the vision statement may take time and you may experience some conflict, but in the long run the level of resistance should be less.